MLP: FiM--Putting Your Hoof Down (Alternate Version)
by MontyCS
Summary: An alternate telling of the episode "Putting Your Hoof Down". With her friends stressing that she needs to stop being such a pushover, Fluttershy agrees to attend an assertiveness seminar hosted by a minotaur named Iron Will. Unfortunately, it works a little too well... Author's Note: I do not claim ownership of MLP: FiM or any of it's characters. This fanfic is purely for fun.


**My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic**

**Putting Your Hoof Down (Alternate)**

It was yet another bright, and sunny day in Ponyville, and at Fluttershy's cottage, it was time for the yellow pegasus to serve lunch to all of her different animals. Grabbing a box of animal treats, Fluttershy promptly got their attention by ringing a bell.

"Lunch time!", she called out as all the animals assembled in the kitchen. "Who's hungry?"

Fluttershy poured the animal treats into a large bowl that she'd set on the floor, and within moments, the animals were all eating and chittering happily. Beaming, Fluttershy watched them carefully to ensure that none of them stole from each other.

"Plenty for everypony.", she said, before singling out an overeager white mouse who'd pushed another animal out of the way, "Slow down, sweetie."

The animals turned to look at her for a moment, before turning back to their food. Then suddenly, another white mouse leaped through the air to snatch the box of animal treats right out of Fluttershy's hoof, and began pouring the contents directly into it's mouth. Giggling, Fluttershy quickly took the box away before the animal became too overstuffed.

Then, Fluttershy heard a thumping noise coming from behind her, and turned to see her pet bunny Angel thumping his foot on the floor, awaiting his own food.

"Here you go, Angel bunny.", Fluttershy said as she flew over, and poured some animal treats into his bowl. But to her dismay, Angel kicked the bowl away, and continued thumping.

"Okay, Mr. Picky-pants, you win.", the yellow pegasus sighed as she picked up a bowl of salad from the table that she'd made for her own lunch, and gave it to her pet. "Carrots, lettuce, and apples, yum-yum-yum!"

But to Fluttershy's surprise, Angel also threw this bowl away.

"What? But...", she stammered in confusion.

Angel picked up a cucumber slice, and pretended to eat it, before making a big show of falling over as if he'd been poisoned by it, even clutching a flower in his paws.

"Well then, what _will _you eat?", Fluttershy asked, wondering when her pet bunny had gotten so picky.

Throwing the flower aside, Angel quickly got back up, and eagerly showed her a recipe in a cookbook of a very fancy-looking salad.

"I'm not sure I can even make that. Well... I don't want you to starve...", she began before holding up a leaf of lettuce. "Oh, are you sure I can't tempt you with a nice crisp piece of-"

But before Fluttershy could finish the sentence, Angel swatted the lettuce away, and slapped her across the face, before thrusting the book at her again.

"I'll make your special recipe..." the yellow pegasus caved in as her pet bunny beamed.

* * *

(Theme Song)

* * *

Fluttershy stood in the middle of the Ponyville market place, and checked her list of things she needed to buy for Angel's salad. She had already gotten turnips, carrots, and lettuce, and marked them off, before moving to the next item on the list.

"Hmm, let's see." she said to herself. "Asparagus."

Putting away her list, Fluttershy promptly headed over to the asparagus stand, when Lucy Packard suddenly cut in front of her to buy a bungle of asparagus for herself.

"Excuse me, um, I think you just stepped in front of me?", Fluttershy said meekly. "Excuse me, I think you made a mistake. You see I was actually here first and-"

"Sorry, didn't notice you there..." Lucy Packard said rather indifferently, before walking away.

"I know...", Fluttershy muttered, before turning back to make her purchase, only to find that Geri had also cut in front of her. "Oh, pardon me, sir?"

"Yes, what?", Geri, who was hard of hearing, asked while holding an ear trumpet to his ear.

"I think you just cut in front of me.", the yellow pegasus said.

"A cut of celery?", Geri asked. "But this is the asparagus stand!"

Sighing, Fluttershy spoke into the old pony's ear trumpet again, a little louder this time. "I said I think you just cut in front of me."

"Oh, no need, dearie, I'm already in front!", Geri said, shaking his head, before picking up his purchase, and trotting off.

"I noticed...", Fluttershy mumbled, rolling her eyes, before turning back to the stand again, only to find her way blocked by Turf, and Surf, who were chatting with one another, and completely ignoring her.

"...And I was like, 'Oh, wow.'", Turf said to her friend.

"Hey!", Fluttershy protested.

Turf looked at her uncaringly, and rather rudely asked, "Would you mind moving back? You're in my personal space."

"But...", Fluttershy started to say.

"Seriously...", Surf said, just as indifferently. "Do you need your asparagus so badly? Get a life."

"Oh, okay... There's no rush", Fluttershy cowered, backing away as the two of them giggled at her spinelessness.

"Hey!", an angry voice said, causing Fluttershy, Surf, and Turf to look up to see an outraged Rainbow Dash hovering just above them. "Don't you talk to my friend that way!"

Surf rolled her eyes. "Why don't you mind your own business, Rainbow Dash?"

"You two are going to _become _my business if you don't apologize to her right now!", Rainbow Dash growled, landing on the ground in front of Fluttershy.

"Now you think you can tell us what to do?" Turf replied. "You're _totally _uncool, you know that?

"Uncool?!" the blue pegasus repeated angrily. "I _invented _cool! I'm 20% cooler than the two of you put together!"

"Oh, really?" Surf retorted. "20% cooler at what? Hanging out with losers?"

"Why I oughta..." Rainbow Dash started to say, gearing up for a fight, when suddenly, she felt somepony's hoof on her shoulder, and turned to see Applejack looking at her intently.

"Rainbow Dash, this ain't th' time or th' place for that.", the cowpony said calmly, before glaring at Surf and Turf. "Girls, just git what ya came for, and move along."

"Whatever...", Surf said, rolling her eyes again, before she and Turf grabbed their asparagus, and walked away.

Rainbow Dash begrudgingly let Surf, and Turf leave as Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight Sparkle arrived on the scene, for they had also seen, and heard everything that had transpired.

"Fluttershy...", Rarity scolded. "You mustn't let them treat you that way."

"Oh, it's-it's really no big deal...", Fluttershy said meekly.

"It's bigger than big." Pinkie Pie retorted. "It's double big! You are a pony with a _problem_."

"Tell me about it." Rainbow Dash agreed.

"What problem?" Fluttershy asked innocently. Pinkie Pie turned to look at Rainbow Dash, who gave her a nod, before physically moving Fluttershy aside, taking her place at the front of the line, causing the yellow pegasus to spin, and fall on the ground. "Oh, go right ahead Pinkie Pie, you first."

"Right there!", Rainbow Dash exclaimed, poking Fluttershy in the forehead. "That's the problem!"

"Ah hate ta say it, sugarcube, but they got a point.", Applejack conceded.

"You've got to stop being such a doormat.", Rarity interrupted.

"A doormat?", Fluttershy repeated in confusion.

"A pushover, darling.", Rarity clarified.

"What we're trying to say, Fluttershy...", Twilight said, "...is that you've got to learn to stand up for yourself."

"Promise us.", Rarity implored.

"Oh, okay. I promise.", Fluttershy answered timidly. Then, turning back to the asparagus stand, she saw that there was no one else in front of her, and one asparagus left. "Oh! Good!" But before Fluttershy could get to it, Gizmo suddenly came up, grabbed it, paid his bit, and began trotting off, with the yellow pegasus only being able to sigh in disappointment. "Oh, that's okay. I don't mind."

Rarity was at Fluttershy's side in less than a second. "Watch, and learn.", she said with a sly smile, before trotting after Gizmo. "Hold it right there, mister small and handsome."

"Uh, who, me?", Gizmo asked.

"Oh, of course you.", the Rarity said, turning on her charm, and batting her eyelashes. "Nopony ever called you handsome before?"

"Uhh, that'd be a big no.", Gizmo said, taken aback.

"Oh, well, they should!", the white unicorn pointed out. "How about flexing some of your muscles for me?" Gizmo flexed one of his forelegs, and finally managed to produce a small muscle in it. "Oh my heavens!", Rarity gasped before smiling sweetly, "Do you think a strong, handsome stallion such as yourself could give my friend the last asparagus?"

"Nuhh.", Gizmo agreed bashfully as Rarity magically gave took the asparagus bundle from his bag, and placed a bit on his nose.

Quite pleased with herself, Rarity headed back over to her friends, and put the asparagus in Fluttershy's saddle bag.

"See? That's not so hard, is it?" she asked Fluttershy.

"Um... I guess not.", the yellow pegasus admitted.

"Alright then!", Rarity said as she took Fluttershy's list from her bag. "What else is on your list?"

Marking asparagus off her list, Fluttershy promptly checked the next item. "Let's see... I also need tomatoes."

Heading over to the tomato stand, which was run by Roma, Fluttershy placed three tomatoes in her saddlebag, and placed a bit on the counter.

"Here you go." she said to Roma before turning to leave.

Roma, however, cleared her throat, and pointed to a sign that showed the price of three tomatoes. "That'll be two bits. Not one."

Fluttershy blinked in surprise. "Oh, but last week it was only one bit."

"That was then...", Roma pointed to the price sign again. "This is now."

"Oh, okay. I don't want to argue about it.", Fluttershy conceded, before putting another bit down, and turning away.

But before Fluttershy could leave, Rainbow Dash quickly stopped her, before turning on Roma. "What do you think you're doing?", she demanded.

"Mindin' my own business.", Roma replied. "Maybe you should try it."

"Oh no, not this time..." the blue pegasus asserted. "Two bits for three tomatoes is outrageous."

"Yeah!", Pinkie Pie said as she suddenly jumped in front of Rainbow Dash, and pulled one of the bits away. "One bit is the right price."

Roma placed her hoof on the bit, and pulled it back to her side. "I say it's two bits."

"One bit.", Pinkie brought the bit back to her side, and glared at Roma through narrowed eyes.

"Two bits!", Roma again pointed to the sign that said two bits for three tomatoes.

"One bit!" Pinkie held up her own sign that said one bit for three tomatoes.

"Two bits!", Roma stood her ground.

"One bit!", Pinkie slammed her hoof on the counter, knocking the bit back to her side.

"_Two bits_!", Roma slammed back with both of her hooves.

"_Two bits_!", Pinkie shouted, now using reverse psychology, and pulling the other bit, but merely placing it on Roma's side.

"_One bit_!", Roma shouted back, pushing the bit back to Pinkie's side.

"_Two bits_!", Pinkie pushed it back.

"_One bit_!", Roma said again.

"_I insist it's two bits or nothing_!", Pinkie yelled as she saw her trick was working.

"_One bit and that's my final offer_!", Roma bellowed, pushing the bit back to Pinkie.

"Have it your way, one bit it is.", Pinkie said as she quickly took the bit, and walked away. Glancing back, she could see that Roma finally realized that she'd been tricked. Pinkie Pie and Rarity giggled as Rainbow Dash grinned in approval.

"See?" Pinkie Pie said to Fluttershy. "Asserting yourself can be fun!"

"I guess you're right.", the yellow pegasus smiled; she couldn't help but be impressed.

"So, Fluttershy, do you feel like giving it a try?", Rarity asked.

"Um... okay.", the yellow pegasus agreed. Then suddenly, she caught sight of the stand that sold cherries, and she saw that there was only one cherry left. "I need that cherry.", she said to herself before flying up to the stand owner, a rough-looking stallion named Crafty Crate.

"Boy, am I glad you have one cherry left. You see, I'm making this special meal for my bunny Angel. He's a very picky eater, and the recipe calls for a cherry on top.", Fluttershy said, before placing a bit on the counter. "Here you go."

"So you say you need this cherry 'very badly'.", Crafty Crate eyed her intently.

"Oh, yes, I'm desperate for it!", Fluttershy nodded.

"Then it'll be ten bits!", Crafty Crate said, smirking.

"_Ten_?!", Fluttershy yelped. She glanced back at her friends, who all gave her nods of approval, and encouragement. Turning back to Crafty Crate, Fluttershy batted her eyes, and spoke in a flirty tone as Rarity had done. "Oh, hey, mister handsome, I know you wanna do the right thing because you're handsome and strong, and big, handsome, strong guys are always nice to everypony, right?"

But Crafty Crate wasn't buying it. "Ten bits for the cherry.", he repeated.

Fluttershy looked back at her friends, who again gave her nods of encouragement.

"Ten bits for one cherry's outrageous!", Fluttershy said, switching to the tactics Pinkie Pie had used. Or rather, she tried to. "I insist on paying you... _eleven _bits!"

"Eleven bits?" Crafty Crate blinked.

"Umm... I mean, nine bits!", Fluttershy tried to correct herself, with little success.

"Er, now wait a minute.", Crafty Crate was confused.

"Okay, twelve bits, but that's my final offer!", Fluttershy insisted, as Applejack buried her face in her hat, Pinkie Pie literally buried her face in the dirt, and Twilight hung her head in exasperation, while Rarity and Rainbow Dash could only facehoof at their friend's epic fail.

"I think you're confused." Crafty Crate said.

"It's twelve bits! Take it or leave it!", Fluttershy slammed a pouch of bits on the counter.

"Okay, I'll take it!", Crafty Crate agreed.

But before anything else could happen, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash quickly pushed their friend away from the stand while Rarity grabbed the money pouch with her magic.

"Don't give him your money!", Rainbow Dash objected.

"One cherry is _not _worth twelve bits!", Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"But...", Fluttershy protested, upset and confused. "I was only doing what you did."

"It was a valiant effort...", Rarity replied gently as she put the money pouch in Fluttershy's saddle bag. "But you should refuse to give him your business, and just walk away."

"It's not worth it, Fluttershy.", Twilight said.

"But... I can't let Angel starve! He won't eat it unless I make it just right!", the yellow pegasus protested, before flying back towards the cherry stand. "I need that cherry no matter what it costs!"

"In that case...", Crafty Crate said, having heard Fluttershy's words, "Twenty bits!"

"_Twenty_?!" Fluttershy's eyes went wide with shock. "Oh, but, I don't have that much!"

"Then why are you wasting my time?", Crafty Crate demanded.

Suddenly, Lemon Hearts walked up to the stand, and put two bits in front of Crafty Crate. "I'll give you two bits for that cherry!"

"Sold!" Crafty Crate accepted without any hesitation, and turning back to Fluttershy as Lemon Hearts walked away with the last cherry, added, "Eh, tough break, kid. Next time, don't be such a doormat."

Dejected, Fluttershy could only sigh, and walk away in defeat. Rainbow Dash, on the other hoof, could actually feel her blood boiling.

"You want a doormat?! I'll show you a doormat!", the blue pegasus started to launch herself at Crafty Crate, and had to be physically restrained by Applejack, and Twilight. "Let me at him! Let me at him!"

"Not now, Rainbow Dash! Not here!", Applejack said.

"Right now, Fluttershy needs our help!", Twilight put in.

Begrudgingly, Rainbow Dash calmed down. "I'll deal with you later!", she yelled to Crafty Crate, who just shrugged.

With Rainbow Dash back under control, the ponies turned back toward Fluttershy; but the yellow pegasus was gone. She had disappeared back into the crowd of ponies occupying the market. However, her friends knew where she'd probably be going...

* * *

Having been forced to return to her cottage without a cherry, Fluttershy quickly made the salad that Angel wanted with the ingredients that she'd been able to get. She was so busy that she didn't notice the black goat come up to her cottage, and put something in her mailbox.

Once Fluttershy was finished, Angel sat at the table, and tied a napkin around his neck.

"Ta-da! Here you go, Angel.", Fluttershy said, setting the salad bowl in front of her pet. Licking his lips, Angel was just about to take a bite out of the salad, when she quickly added "Sorry there's no cherry on top, but the rest of it is exactly what you wanted."

Angel suddenly stopped himself and held up the cookbook to compare the salad with the one in the picture. There was indeed no cherry on top.

"Angel?", Fluttershy asked as Angel scowled angrily.

The next thing the yellow pegasus knew, she was flying through the air as Angel quite literally threw her, and the salad bowl out the front door to collide with her mailbox, before landing on the ground with her mail scattered all around her.

"Fluttershy!", came Twilight's voice, and Fluttershy looked up to see her friends all standing before her with concerned looks on their faces. "Are you okay? What happened?!"

Fluttershy could only sigh. "I... I made Angel the salad that he wanted... But he was mad because it didn't have a cherry on top, so..."

Rainbow Dash stared at her. "So he threw you out the door? Why that little..."

"No, Rainbow Dash, please. He just a little bunny.", Fluttershy said.

"No, he's a _spoiled rotten _little bunny!", Rainbow Dash retorted. " And seriously Fluttershy, I don't know what's harder to believe: that he threw you out here for _that_, or that you actually _let him do it_! Just like how you let everypony else push you around!"

"Well, umm...", Fluttershy began, not sure what to say.

"Actually Fluttershy, that's why we came to talk to you.", Twilight said, concerned.

"Th' truth is, sugarcube, we're worried about ya." Applejack put in.

"You've got to start putting your hoof down, darling.", Rarity said firmly. "Otherwise, everypony is just going to keep treating you like this!"

"You're the kindest pony we know, Fluttershy...", Twilight continued. "But we think something is seriously wrong if you're being charged twenty bits for one cherry, and pushed around by you're own pet!"

"It's nothing short of a cry for help!", Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"...You're right...", Fluttershy sighed miserably. "Look at me... I really _am_ a doormat."

Suddenly, a pamphlet fell out of Fluttershy's mailbox, and landed on her head. Picking it up, Fluttershy opened it.

"The incredible Iron Will turns doormats into dynamos..." she read aloud. "Assertiveness seminar today, hedge maze centre."

"Hey! I got one of those in the mail to!", Rainbow Dash said.

"So did I.", Twilight nodded.

"That goat we ran into on our way up here must be passin' em out.", Applejack concluded.

"This is perfect!", Rarity gasped before turning back to Fluttershy. "You should go to this seminar, Fluttershy. Perhaps this Iron Will gentleman can teach you how to stand up for yourself."

Pinkie Pie's eyes lit up. "Rarity, you're a genius!"

The others all nodded in agreement.

But Fluttershy wasn't so sure. She did want to stop being a doormat, but she felt very nervous about the prospect of going to this seminar, and meeting this Iron Will character. "Oh, gosh. I don't know..."

"C'mon, Fluttershy!", Rainbow Dash snapped, "Do you want to be a pushover for the rest of your life?"

"No... But...", Fluttershy stammered.

"Look Fluttershy, you and I have been going at this ever since we first met!", Rainbow Dash said crossly. "I mean, do you know how many times I've had to bail you out of somepony pushing you around over the years?"

"Well..."

"Because I do!", the blue pegasus continued, "And to be honest, It's really starting to get tiring! It's time that you learned how to fight your own battles!"

"Rainbow Dash is right, Fluttershy.", Twilight said, "This assertiveness seminar might do you some good. Besides, what's the worst thing that could happen?"

"In any case, It'd be better than always bein' stepped on like stairs.", Applejack put in.

"Please, Fluttershy...", Rarity implored, "Go for us."

"Yeah. For us.", Pinkie Pie agreed.

For a long moment, Fluttershy pondered her friends' words. Then, she thought about what had just happened with Angel, and what had happened in the marketplace. This in turn caused her to think back even further to all the times she'd been pushed around by others over the years, finally ending with how she was bullied as a filly.

However, it was how she was bullied as a filly that stuck with her the most. While Rainbow Dash had been there to stick up for her whenever she could, she simply couldn't be there for her all the time, and there were many occasions when Fluttershy had found herself at the mercy of her bullies. She never forgot the torment she'd endured at their hooves, or the names that they had called her:

_Scaredyshy... Flutterwimp... Punyshy..._

Thinking about it brought back all of that old hurt, as well as new feelings of shame as the yellow pegasus realized that she hadn't changed one bit. But at the same time, a new feeling of determination filled Fluttershy's entire being, and she resolved to finally change for the better. She had been presented with a chance, and she was not going to pass it up.

"All right, I'll do it!", Fluttershy declared. "As Celestia as my witness, I'm never gonna be a pushover again!"

* * *

Later that day, Fluttershy arrived at the hedge maze, where a large group of ponies had already gathered. However, despite her previous resolve to come, and learn how to be assertive, the yellow pegasus was once again feeling nervous about all this. Poking her head inside, Fluttershy timidly shank back a little upon seeing two stern-looking goats standing by the entrance to the center of the maze, but she managed to muster up some courage, and slowly made her way inside where a giant stage had been set up.

Fluttershy wished her friends could've come with her; she would feel much less anxious about this if they were here, but unfortunately, they'd all been busy.

"Oh! Ah! Uh... excuse me!", Fluttershy said as she made her way to the front row to find the best view.

At last, she found a spot where she was able to squeeze herself between two other ponies, letting out a shy little squeak. In response, the two ponies glared at her, and then...

THWACK!

Fluttershy was kicked to the very back of the group. As she struggled to see over the top of the crowd, loud music began to play. One of the goats let out a bleat before flooding the stage with smoke from a smoke machine, while the other goat pointed a spotlight at the center of the stage, as a shadowy figure wearing a cape appeared. Then, one of the goats removed the cape to reveal a large blue minotaur with a black tie around his neck.

The ponies began to cheer and stomp their hooves as he shadow boxed for them, while fireworks went off all around the stage. Flexing his muscles, the minotaur kissed them before turning towards the crowd.

"Welcome friends.", the minotaur called out, pacing the about the stage, "My name is Iron Will, and today is the first day of your new life! I wanna hear you stomp if you're tired of being a pushover!"

Iron Will held his hand to his ear as the ponies cheered, and stomped their hooves again.

"Stomp if you're tired of being a doormat!", Iron Will said, and there was more cheering and stomping from the crowd. "Stomp if you wanna pay nothing for this seminar!"

The crowd started to cheer and stomp again, but then stopped as they slowly realized what Iron Will had just said, and after a moment of confusion, they began to laugh. Suddenly, Iron Will gave the ponies an angry look, and they all stopped laughing.

"That's no joke, friends.", the minotaur said, "Iron Will is so confident that you will be _one hundred percent satisfied _with Iron Will's assertiveness techniques, that if you are not one hundred percent satisfied, you. Pay. Nothing. But I pity the fool who doubts Iron Will's methods!" Iron Will suddenly jumped forward, and got in the face of a stallion named Meadow Song. "You don't doubt me, do you?"

"Uh-uh, no sir...", Meadow Song said nervously as everypony around him nodded in agreement.

"That, my friends, is your first lession.", Iron Will said as he stood on the heads of his two goats. "Don't be shy, look them in the eye!"

The ponies chattered excitedly with one another, and though Fluttershy herself still felt unsure about all this, she managed to smile along with the rest of the crowd.

"Now, to demonstrate that Iron Will's techniques will work for anypony, I'm gonna need a volunteer.", Iron Will declared.

Nearly the entire pony crowd immediately raised their hooves in the hopes of being the one chosen, but Fluttershy suddenly felt extremely shy, and ducked down as low as she could, praying that she wouldn't be seen. Unfortunately, one of Iron Will's goats, who were scanning the crowd, spotted the cowering yellow pegasus, and bleated to their boss. Upon hearing about the hiding Fluttershy, Iron Will immediately made his choice.

"You in the back row!", Iron Will called out.

The audience quickly parted to reveal Fluttershy, who looked up, and began to tremble as she saw that everypony was staring at her. "Who, me?", she asked meekly.

"Yes, you!", Iron Will bellowed. "Iron Will wants you onstage!"

Fluttershy gulped. "Uh, well..."

"Now!", the minotaur commanded, causing her to flinch.

"Okay.", Fluttershy said softly, and timidly made her way around the audience to climb onstage.

Suddenly, she found her way blocked by one of Iron Will's goats. Fluttershy tried to walk around him, but he quickly moved to block her path again.

"Whoaa! He's blocking your path!", Iron Will chuckled. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"Um, politely walk around him?", the yellow pegasus guessed.

"No.", the minotaur crossed his arms.

"Gingerly tip-toe around him?"

"_No_.", he emphasized.

"Go back home, and try again tomorrow?"

"_No_!", Iron Will snapped as he walked around to stand behind her, "'When somepony tries to block, show them that you _rock_!'"

Then, without warning, he gave her a strong flick on the flank, causing Fluttershy to stumble forward to knock the goat flat on his back.

Gasping, she quickly got back up. "Oh! Sorry!"

"Don't be sorry!", Iron Will scolded, "Be assertive! 'Never apologize when you can criticize!" Clearing his throat, he bellowed at the goat. "_Why don't you watch where you're going_?! Now you try."

For a moment, Fluttershy hesitated before nervously looking down at the goat. "Uh... next time, get out of the way before I bump into you, 'cause... _I totally won't be sorry when I do_!", she shrieked at last, startling the goat.

Fluttershy flinched, fearing that she'd done something wrong. However, Iron Will grinned excitedly as he realized that he'd found a real money-maker in this young pegasus. Grabbing one of Fluttershy's fore-hooves, he lifted her into the air, and addressed the crowd again.

"You see my friends?! If my techniques can work for this shy, little pony, then they can work for _anypony_!"

Amazed, the pony audience cheered, and Fluttershy, who'd been very unsure about all this, suddenly began to smile. She didn't know why, but for some reason, she felt good. Perhaps this really was the anwser to all of her problems.

"Now, my little pony, tell Iron Will your name!" Iron Will asked the yellow pegasus rather loudly, causing her mane to blow back.

"F-Fluttershy.", she managed to say.

"Well then, Fluttershy..." the minotaur grinned wolfishly, "How would you like to become a lean, mean assertive machine? How would you like to be Iron Will's first pupil, and learn all of my techniques right here, right now?!"

For a moment, Fluttershy hesitated, but only for a moment, as memories of being bullied, and pushed around over the years once again flashed in her head. Remembering her vow to never be a pushover again, the yellow pegasus felt her resolve strengthen, and she quickly made her decision.

"Yes!", she said before she could change her mind, "Teach me everything!"

Iron Will's grin grew wider as the crowd of ponies cheered, and stomped their hooves again.

* * *

The assertiveness seminar finally came to an end after about three hours, and at last, the crowd of ponies began to disperse. Stepping off the stage, Fluttershy quickly joined them, when she suddenly heard Iron Will's booming voice behind her.

"Fluttershy!", the minotaur bellowed from the stage, "Remember everything that I taught you, and I guarantee that you'll never be a pushover again! Now get out there, and show the world that nopony pushes the new Fluttershy around!"

"Yes, sir!", Fluttershy said, before turning to leave with the rest of the ponies.

On the way back to her cottage, Fluttershy could think of nothing but the events of the last few hours. She couldn't believe that she had lasted so long up on the stage in front of so many ponies. Under normal circumstances, she would've frozen up from stage fright, but instead, something about Iron Will had kept her shyness in check; she just couldn't put her hoof on it.

However, she had to admit that some of his techniques had made her feel a bit uncomfortable... But ultimately, she decided not to question them. After all, Iron Will was so confident in his techniques that he guaranteed that his customers would pay nothing if they weren't 100% satisfied. Therefore, they must work pretty well.

It was evening by the time Fluttershy got back to her cottage, and she knew that it would soon be time for her animals to go to bed. However, upon opening her front door, she found them all waiting for her, and suddenly realized that the animals hadn't been fed dinner due to Iron Will's seminar having taken longer than she'd expected.

"Oh, I'm sorry, my friends. I didn't mean to be gone for so long.", Fluttershy said, "Hold on, we have time for a quick snack before bedtime."

Retrieving the box of animal treats, Fluttershy poured a rather generous amount into the feed bowl on the floor, which the animals practically dove at. This time, they were more competitive than they'd been earlier in the day, with several of the animals actually pushing each other out of the way to get at the food.

"Calm down, everypony.", Fluttershy assured, "I know you're hungry, but there's plenty for all. There's no need to-"

THUMP!

Fluttershy jumped at the loud thump, and turned around to once again see her pet bunny Angel standing behind her. And boy, was he mad!

Not only had his owner not made him his special salad exactly the way he'd wanted earlier in the day, but she didn't even have the decency to come home on time to serve him dinner! Well, she had better make good this time, or else!

"Oh, Angel...", Fluttershy said, suddenly feeling sheepish again, "You must really be hungry because you didn't eat..."

But before she could finish, Angel practically threw the cookbook in her face, and once again demanded that she make him his special salad.

"Angel, I'm sorry. I don't have the ingredients, and all the shops in town are closing.", Fluttershy protested. "Can't you just eat with everypony else for tonight..?"

Enraged at his owner's noncompliance, Angel slammed the cookbook shut on Fluttershy's face, causing the yellow pegasus to stumble backwards. Regaining her balance, Fluttershy gulped as Angel began to advance on her menacingly.

"N-Now, Angel...", Fluttershy stammered, "L-Let's just calm down before we do anything we'll..."

Angel angrily slammed his foot down on the floor with another loud thump, causing Fluttershy to flinch. But then, the yellow pegasus suddenly heard Iron Will's voice in her head.

_Fluttershy!...Remember everything that I taught you...show the world that nopony pushes the new Fluttershy around!_

As the minotaur's words echoed throughout her mind, Fluttershy suddenly felt something burning inside of her. A flame that she'd repressed her entire life, but had now grown too large to be contained any longer. And in that moment, all of her fear completely vanished to be replaced by a sudden intense anger as the face of her pet bunny morphed into the faces of the bullies who'd tormented her as a filly...

Angel stopped dead in his tracks as it slowly dawned on him that something was seriously wrong. There was something in Fluttershy's eyes... Something he didn't recognize... Then, before the white bunny realized what was happening, Fluttershy leapt forward, and sent him flying backwards. The next thing that Angel knew, he was lying flat on his back, and staring up into the seething face of his owner.

"New Fluttershy is DONE being pushed around!", the yellow pegasus growled, "Especially by spoiled, rotten, ungrateful little bunnies like you! _Now get over there with the other animals WHERE YOU BELONG_!"

For the first time in his life, Angel felt nothing but complete, and utter terror. He didn't know where this pony had come from, this _lion _who had replaced his frail, pathetic excuse for an owner. All he knew right now, was that he'd rather never have his special salad if it meant never having to face the wrath of this pony! Angel was on his feet, and over at the feeding bowl with the other animals faster than Rainbow Dash preforming a sonic rainboom.

For a moment, Fluttershy just stood there, unsure of how she felt. On one hoof, she was a shocked that she'd actually done that; it wasn't like her at all. But at the same time, she felt _good_, because it had _worked_. Iron Will was right; as long she remembered what he'd taught her, she would never be pushed around again.

At last, a smile formed on Fluttershy's face; she didn't just feel good, she felt... empowered. It was just as Iron Will had said, today was the first day of her new life, and suddenly, she was very much looking forward to tomorrow...

* * *

The next morning, Fluttershy stood in front of a mirror with two of Iron Will's pamphlets taped on either side, feeling more confident than she had in her entire life.

"Okay, I feel good.", she said to her reflection. "I feel ready to 'attack the day', as Iron Will says."

Her animal friends waved her goodbye, and good luck as she headed towards her front door, all except for Angel, who could only cower in terror as she passed by.

Making her way outside, Fluttershy heard the sound of water spraying, and turned to see Mr. Greenhooves humming to himself, and watering her petunias. No, he was _over_watering her petunias. Alarmed, Fluttershy quickly rushed to his side, if he kept this up, she'd have to replace them... again.

"Excuse me, Mr. Greenhooves...", she said, "...but I-I think you might be overwatering my petunias... again..."

But Mr. Greenhooves just chuckled. "Let the professional handle it.", he said dismissively.

Fluttershy began to walk away, but then she stopped, and her eyes began to narrow as she remembered Iron Will's words. "'Treat me like a pushover, and you'll get the once over.'", she said to herself.

Then, the yellow pegasus slammed her hoof down on the hose to cut off the water.

"Hm? Hmm...", Mr. Greenhooves mumbled in confusion as he shook the hose, before lifting the nozzle up to his face to see why the water had stopped. Then, Fluttershy removed her hoof from the hose, and the water that had been building up suddenly blasted him in the face. Coughing and sputtering, he quickly turned the water off, before turning towards Fluttershy. "Well, perhaps that _is _enough water." he feebly admitted.

"Thank you.", Fluttershy said somewhat indignantly, before turning to make her way toward town.

Pleased with herself, the yellow pegasus trotted along until she came to the main bridge leading into Ponyville. However, Fluttershy was annoyed to find her way blocked by two large wagons filled with garbage that were being pulled by Cherry Berry, and Sweetie Drops, who had stopped to hold a conversation with one another, not seeming to care if they were holding up traffic.

"Showpony business is tough.", Cherry Berry said.

"Go ahead, try one of your jokes out on me.", Sweetie Drops offered. "I laugh at everything."

"Okay, okay, okay.", Cherry Berry nodded. "A donkey and a mule are stuck on a desert island..."

Fluttershy cleared her throat. "Excuse me?", she said politely. "Would you mind moving your carts so I can pass?"

"Yeah, yeah, in a minute, I just wanna finish up this story.", Cherry Berry said rudely, before turning back to Sweetie Drops. "And so the donkey says to the mule-"

"_A-hemmmm_, can you move?", Fluttershy requested sternly. "You're blocking my path."

"Yeah, yeah, in a _minute_!", Cherry Berry snapped back before resuming her story. "So the donkey says to the mule... why don't we build a boat to get off this island?"

Now Fluttershy was beginning to get angry. She considered just flying over them, but then she remembered another one of Iron Will's lessons, and decided that that would be pushover Fluttershy's method. No, she would be assertive, and make those blocking her path move.

"'When someone tries to block, show them that you rock.'", Fluttershy said as she approached the back of the wagons, before angrily bucking both of them at the same time, and knocking them up into the air.

"...and the mule says...", Cherry Berry continued, when suddenly...

SPLAT!

...she and Sweetie Drops found themselves covered in garbage. "Ugh! Easy does it, lady! "We're moving, okay?"

"Good!", Fluttershy grinned as the two ponies pulled their carts out of the way.

Making her way through town, the yellow pegasus finally came to Sugarcube Corner. There was a sale going on today, and many ponies had gathered at the shop.

"Who's next please?", Pinkie Pie asked as a pony stepped up to the counter. "And _what _can I get for you today?"

Fluttershy took her place at the back of the line, and was dismayed to see how long it was. Suddenly, she felt somepony tap on her the shoulder, and as she turned to see who it was, Shoeshine suddenly jumped in front of her.

"What do you think you're doing?", Fluttershy demanded. "Didn't you see me?"

Shoeshine just shrugged. "Uh, I guess maybe.", she smirked, uncaring that she'd cut in front of the yellow pegasus.

"Maybe? Maybe is for babies!", Fluttershy said angrily before forcing Shoeshine to face her, and bellowing in her face. "_Now go to the back of the line where you belong_!"

Alarmed, Shoeshine smiled nervously, before quickly scooting behind her. Fluttershy then glared ahead at the other ponies in front of her, who had seen the whole thing. Shocked at Fluttershy's new attitude, they to decided to give her a wide berth, and quickly backed out of the shop to form a new line behind her.

"_Heyyy_, look at you!", an impressed Pinkie Pie remarked.

Smiling confidently, Fluttershy flew up to the counter as the rest of her friends, who had also shown up for the sale, gathered around.

"Oh, your attitude is so feisty.", Rarity said. "It's fabulous."

"I never thought I'd live to see this day!", Rainbow Dash beamed. "Everypony will think twice about messing with my pal, Fluttershy, again!"

Twilight nodded. "It's so great to see you finally standing up for yourself, Fluttershy."

"Looks like that monster's workshop really paid off.", Pinkie Pie added.

"Iron Will's not a monster." Fluttershy corrected. "He's a minotaur, and a true inspiration. His techniques really work."

"Well, they've certainly made a difference in th' way ya carry yer'self. ", Applejack smiled. "Yer truly a whole new Fluttershy."

"Yes, I am.", the yellow pegasus said with pride. "And new Fluttershy is pretty stoked about new Fluttershy."

"Well, old Pinkie Pie feels really proud of new Fluttershy." Pinkie Pie said. "Proud as pink punch." Then, she dove under the counter to retrieve a bowl of actual pink punch, and presented it to her friend. "Want some?", she snorted, before erupting into giggles at her joke, and falling to roll around on the floor.

Fluttershy, however, was not laughing, and had instead taken offense to Pinkie's laughter. "'_You laugh at me, I wrath at you_!'", she growled, and knocked the punch bowl off the counter to spill on the pink pony's head.

Rarity and Twilight gasped in shock at what Fluttershy had just done, while Rainbow Dash and Applejack could only stare with their mouths agape.

"Fluttershy... What was...", Rainbow Dash stammered.

"How could you...", Twilight started to say.

"Why did ya...", Applejack began.

But the words died in their mouths, and they could only stare after the yellow pegasus in stunned silence as she walked away.

"Bye, girls.", Fluttershy said as she exited the sweet shop, feeling rather pleased with herself when she saw the ponies outside scatter at her approach. "What a day. Taxi!" She waved a hoof to hail a nearby taxi as her friends came out onto the porch of the sweet shop.

The taxi came to a stop, and Fluttershy began trotting over to it, when suddenly, Royal Riff jumped into the wagon ahead of her as if he hadn't even noticed that she was there.

"Uh oh...", Rainbow Dash breathed, knowing what was coming.

"Oh no you don't. 'Cut in line, I'll take what's mine!'", Fluttershy seethed.

The other ponies could only watch in horror as Fluttershy leaped into the taxi onto Royal Riff, and beat him up before literally throwing him out of the carriage, and onto the ground before the steps to Sugarcube Corner.

"Fluttershy, what are you doing?!", a horrified Twilight asked.

"Nopony pushes new Fluttershy around!", Fluttershy yelled as she shook her hoof at everypony in the vicinity before screaming, "_NOPONY_!" Terrified at the sound of her voice, the taxi pony took off with her as fast as he could, leaving Fluttershy's friends behind.

"I can't believe I'm saying this...", a shocked Rainbow Dash said, "...but I'm officially freaked out now."

"Old Pinkie Pie is not so sure new Fluttershy is such a good idea after all.", a worried Pinkie Pie remarked.

Rarity nodded. "Old Rarity agrees."

"Ah don't know 'bout th' rest of ya, but ah'm thinkin' that maybe we oughta go have a little talk with Iron Will.", Applejack suggested.

"I second the notion.", Twilight agreed.

* * *

The five ponies quickly made their way to the hedge maze centre, where Iron Will was once again speaking to a large crowd of ponies who wished to learn his assertiveness techniques. It appeared that they had arrived just in the nick of time because the minotaur seemed to be wrapping things up with this part of his workshop.

"Never forget my friends...", Iron Will bellowed to the crowd, "If somepony treats you like a pushover, they'll get the once-over!"

The crowd cheered and stomped their hooves at the minotaur's words. However, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash felt rather uncomfortable with the advice that Iron Will was giving the ponies, especially after seeing it's effects on Fluttershy's behavior. The fact, that the minotaur and his words were actually being applauded only increased their concern. Iron Will's charisma had allowed him to rile up the crowd to the point where nopony was stopping to consider that he might not be giving good advice.

"That's all for today, everypony! See you next time!", Iron Will said, dismissing everypony.

As the crowd began to disperse, the five ponies promptly headed up onstage, where Iron Will, and his goats were preparing to pack up their stage equipment.

"Uh, excuse us, Mr. Iron Will.", Rarity said.

"Huh?", Iron Will turned toward the five ponies before eagerly asking, "Oooh, more customers?"

"No, we're not customers, we're-", Pinkie Pie started to say.

"Then why are you wasting my time?!", Iron Will snapped.

"We're Fluttershy's friends!", Rainbow Dash said somewhat indignantly. "And if it's not too much trouble, we need to talk to you."

Applejack stepped forward. "We're a mite concerned 'bout what yer teachin' Fluttershy."

At this, the minotaur turned towards them, and crossed his arms. "What seems to be the problem?", he asked inquisitively.

"Well, to put it simply...", Twilight said, "We don't think that the advice you've been giving her is...very good."

"Why not? Is she still acting like a doormat?", Iron Will asked.

"Well no, but...", Rarity started to say.

"Then what is it?", the minotaur asked again, growing impatient. "I haven't got all day!"

Rainbow Dash sighed irritably. "Well, how's this for starters? Earlier today, she beat up and threw somepony onto the sidewalk for cutting in front of her!"

For a long moment, Iron Will just stood motionless, and blinked. Then, to the shock of the ponies, the minotaur began to laugh.

"Oh, that was good!", Iron Will chuckled, "You almost had me going there! For a moment, I was starting to worry that she hadn't learned anything!"

"What?!", Applejack exclaimed. "Ya seriously don't think that what Fluttershy did was a bit...much?!"

"What's the problem?" Iron Will shrugged indifferently, "If Fluttershy keeps it up, nopony will ever think of pushing her around again."

"No, no!", Twilight protested, "We wanted Fluttershy to stand up for herself, but this is not the answer!"

Iron Will suddenly whirled on them, his expression now angry. "Do you dare doubt Iron Will's message?"

Yes!", Pinkie Pie jumped in before anypony else could respond. "I mean, no! I mean-"

Rainbow Dash quickly covered Pinkie's mouth before she could make things worse, but the damage seemed to be done, as Iron Will glowered at five ponies.

"I pity you fools for doubting Iron Will's message!", the minotaur bellowed, "But you know what? It makes no difference, because as long as Fluttershy, and the rest of my customers are satisfied, it doesn't matter what you think!"

"B-But...but...", Rarity started to protest, but Iron Will just ignored her, and turned towards his two goats.

"Would you two mind showing these doubters to the exit?"

And just like that, they had been dismissed, and Iron Will's goats promptly escorted them out of the hedge maze before heading back to rejoin their boss. Once they were out of earshot, the five ponies could only looked at one another, their faces showing a mixture of shock, and outrage.

"Oh, what a brute!", Rarity exclaimed.

"Worse than a brute!", Applejack said.

"How can ponies think this creep is a good role model?", Twilight asked, "He's not teaching them to be assertive!"

"No! He's teaching them to be downright mean!", Rainbow Dash agreed.

"I was right! Iron Will really is a monster!", Pinkie Pie cried, "And he's turning Fluttershy into one to!"

"Oh, this is horrible!", Rarity said rather dramatically, "What ever shall we do?"

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to speak again...but then she stopped, as something in the distance had caught her eye. The others followed the blue pegasus' gaze to see a lone stallion, who after a brief moment, the five ponies recognized as Crafty Crate, the rude vendor who'd tried to cheat Fluttershy by charging her twenty bits for one cherry. But there was clearly something wrong with him. He seemed to be walking around rather aimlessly, and he was very ragged, with an extremely vacant look on his face. He looked as though he'd just seen a ghost, and had been put through the wringer.

Intrigued, and not to mention a bit concerned, the five ponies quickly headed over to Crafty Crate to see what was going on.

"Crafty Crate?", Twilight asked, "What's wrong? What happened?"

"...D-Don't m-mess w-with h-her..." the stallion stuttered, seeming to have barely registered what Twilight had asked him. "...Don't m-mess with h-her..."

"What? Don't mess with who?", Twilight asked again, though she and her friends already had a pretty good idea of who he was talking about.

"She-she's gonna get me...", Crafty Crate repeated over and over, "She's g-gonna g-get me...she's gonna get me!"

"Snap out of it!", Rainbow Dash said sharply, as she promptly delivered a hard smack to Crafty Crate's face, and she couldn't help but feel a little satisfied with herself after having promised to deal with him for his previous behavior.

"Th-thanks... I needed that...", the stallion said, regaining at least some of his senses.

"Now tell us what's goin' on." Applejack demanded.

"I-I closed up shop earlier, and as I was heading home...", Crafty Crate began, "...I was cut off in the street by a speeding taxi, so...I yelled at it's driver, and it's occupant..."

"And then?", Rarity asked uneasily; she could already see where this was going.

"Your friend Fl-Fluttershy stepped out of the cab, and...", Crafty Crate paused for moment, "...sh-she recognized me from before. She had this l-look in her eyes. It was f-frightening, and I couldn't believe it was r-really her. And then..."

Crafty Crate trailed off.

"And then what?!", Rainbow Dash asked somewhat impatiently.

"I c-can't!", Crafty Crate cried, breaking into hysterics, "Oh, the horror! The horror! It was awful!"

Irritated, Rainbow Dash promptly gave the hysterical stallion another good smack across the face.

"Thanks.", Craft Crate said shakily, "Could-Could you do that again?"

"Wha- Oh, forget it!", Rainbow Dash said in exasperation; this was getting them nowhere. "Just get outta here."

However, as the five ponies watched Crafty Crate leave, their fears and concerns about Fluttershy returned with a vengeance. Crafty Crate may have been a jerk, but he seemed to be completely unstallioned by whatever had happened between him and Fluttershy. Or perhaps he'd never been as tough as he'd seemed, and the incident had exposed his true nature. But it didn't matter, because whatever had happend had only confirmed the five ponies' fears of what was happening to their friend.

"This is bad. This is really, really bad.", Twilight said, her voice filled with dread. "What are we going to do?"

"We have to find Fluttershy.", Rainbow Dash resolved, "We've got to talk some sense into her."

* * *

The next morning, Fluttershy stood in front of her mirror once again, but this time, she had a rather sinister smile on her face, and her voice was no longer filled with confidence, but instead sounded outright aggressive.

"You got this, new Fluttershy! This day is yours!" And nopony's gonna take it away from you!", she said to her reflection before turning to her animals. "Am I _right_?! Right!" The force of her voice knocked several of the animals flat on their backs, and they scattered as she started for the front door. As Fluttershy headed for her front door, she didn't notice a trembling Angel hiding behind a piece of furniture. Right now, he would do ANYTHING to have his old owner back.

Heading outside to check her mail, Fluttershy opened her mailbox, and was outraged to discover that Mr. Zippy, the mail pony, had once again made a mistake.

"What?!", she yelled. "He's delivered the wrong mail, _again_!"

Just down the road, Fluttershy noticed Mr. Zippy about to make another delivery, but something was clearly wrong with his vision, due to the fact that he was trying to stuff the mail into a birdhouse instead of the mailbox. Unfortunately, Fluttershy was too angry to notice this as she stormed over to him.

"Oh-", Mr. Zippy exclaimed as she glared at him.

"And new Fluttershy does not want the wrong mail delivered to her cottage!", Fluttershy snapped as she forced him to back up several steps.

"Ohh, did I mix 'em up again?" he asked before reaching into his bag, and giving her the correct mail. "Sorry about that."

But Fluttershy was in no mood to accept his apology. "'You apologize, I penalize.'", the yellow pegasus growled.

Terrified, Mr. Zippy tried to run away, but only ended up crashing into the mailbox so that he was poking out the other side. Grabbing a stamp, Fluttershy firmly slapped it on his flank, and then took her letter from his mouth. Smirking, she watched as another mail pony arrived in a mail cart to collect Mr. Zippy, before speeding away.

Meanwhile, a tourist pony named Globe Trotter was looking around, and when he saw Fluttershy heading down the road, he quickly rushed up to her.

"Excuse me.", he said politely, "But do you know how to get to Ponyville tower?"

"Sure, you just-", Fluttershy started to say, but then she gasped as her mail fell out of her mouth, and into puddle.

"Oh, that's a shame.", Globe Trotter remarked in sincere sympathy, but Fluttershy only growled in rage.

"'_You make me lose, I blow my fuse_!'", the yellow pegasus roared.

At that moment, Fluttershy's friends arrived on the scene just as she grabbed Globe Trotters camera with her teeth, and literally swung him around in the air, before letting go to send him flying into a nearby haystack while his camera struck the bell tower with a loud gong.

"Fluttershy, what the hay is wrong with you?!", Rainbow Dash shouted.

"That's no way to behave!", Rarity exclaimed.

"Didn't you see what he did to new Fluttershy?", Fluttershy asked angrily as she hovered in the air above them, "And he thought new Fluttershy was a pushover!"

"No, sugarcube, he didn't. We saw th' whole thing.", Applejack said firmly. "We think yer' takin' this assertiveness thing a mite too far."

Twilight nodded. "Iron Will's teachings are not the answer to your problems, Fluttershy. You need to stop listening to him."

"_What_?!", Fluttershy snapped angrily as she glared at her friends. "You just want _new _Fluttershy to be a doormat like _old _Fluttershy! But old Fluttershy is _gone_!"

"New Fluttershy? Old Fluttershy?!", Pinkie Pie blinked in puzzlement.

"What happened to _nice _Fluttershy?" Twilight asked. "What happened to _our friend _Fluttershy?"

"Yes! We want _that _Fluttershy back.", Rarity implored.

"No, you want _wimp _Fluttershy.", the yellow pegasus shot back, her anger growing as she flew around her friends. "You want _pushover _Fluttershy. You want _do-anything-to-her-and-she-won't-complain Fluttershy_!"

"Nyaaaaah!", Pinkie screamed, holding her head in her hooves. "Too many Fluttershys to keep track of! Make it stop!"

"Things getting too complicated for your simple little brain, Pinkie Pie?", Fluttershy taunted as she poked the pink pony in the head, knocking her back into Rarity's hooves.

"Now, stop right there! Let's not let things descend into petty insults!". Rarity snapped.

"Why not?", Fluttershy asked smugly, "I thought 'petty' was what you're all about, Rarity. With your 'petty' concerns about _fashion_."

The white unicorn could only gasp in utter shock at Fluttershy's hurtful words as tears welled in her eyes. Twilight put a hoof to her mouth, unable to believe what their friend was turning into. Even Applejack, and Rainbow Dash, who had little to no interest in fashion, couldn't believe that Fluttershy had said such a thing to her friend.

"Hey, leave her alone!", Pinkie Pie snapped, jumping forward to stand on her hind legs between Rarity, and Fluttershy. "Fashion is her passion!

"Oh, and what are you passionate about, Pinkie Pie? Birthday cake? _Party hats_?", Fluttershy sneered, crushing Pinkie's pride, and causing her to slink back down.

Twilight felt as though she were literally frozen to the spot; this COULDN'T be happening. "Fluttershy, stop it!", she desperately cried, "This isn't you!"

"Ooh, so now Little Miss Know-It-All is gonna preach to us.", the yellow pegasus scoffed.

"Flutters...", Applejack stepped forward, her eyes pleading, "We're just tryin' to..."

"To what? To _help _me? New Fluttershy doesn't need your help or your _pity_!", Fluttershy seethed, knocking Applejack's hat off her head with a flick of her hoof, before turning to address all five ponies standing before her. "New Fluttershy doesn't need _anypony_! And she especially doesn't need to be told how to live her life by ponies who spend their own lives toiling away on frivolous pursuits that nopony else gives a flying feather about!"

As Fluttershy's words tore into them, the ponies felt their hearts break, as it finally sunk in that the Fluttershy before them was not the friend that they knew, and cared about. Twilight could only cover her mouth with her hoof again, while Rarity and Pinkie bit down on their lower lips as the three of them quickly lost the fight to hold back their tears. Even Applejack looked like she was about to cry.

"Looks like _nasty _Fluttershy is here to stay!", whimpered Pinkie Pie

"I just can't believe what that monster Iron Will has done to you!", Rarity wailed.

"Iron Will's not a monster, HE'S A MINOTAUR!", Fluttershy screamed in fury as the other ponies cowered back in heartbreak, and terror... save for one.

"That tears it!", Rainbow Dash roared as she hovered in front of Fluttershy, "I don't know who you think you are, or what you have done with Fluttershy, but NOPONY messes with my friends, and gets away with it!"

Fluttershy's eyes darkened as she mustered "The Stare". "Buck off, Rainbow Dash...", she snarled.

For a brief moment, Rainbow Dash faltered, for "The Stare" was enough to affect even her. This was also the first time that she'd ever been on the receiving end of it, and the effect was staggering. Another moment, and she might have backed down, but Rainbow Dash steeled her resolve, and shot a hardened glare back at Fluttershy.

"No, YOU buck off.", the blue pegasus challenged.

Fluttershy seethed at Rainbow Dash's defiance. "_When somepony tries to block, show them that you rock_!", she recalled Iron Will's words.

Fluttershy lunged forward in an attempt to shove Rainbow Dash aside, but Rainbow Dash saw the attempt coming, and countered with a shove of her own, pushing Fluttershy back.

"Hah! Come on!", Rainbow Dash grinned triumphantly, "Is that all you've got, _Punyshy_?"

Fluttershy froze; _what _had Rainbow Dash just _called _her?

..._Punyshy_... One of the cruel names that her bullies had called her as a filly...

As that realization fully registered in her mind, Fluttershy felt something snap inside of her, and she was filled with pure rage as she saw Rainbow Dash's face morph into the faces of the bullies who'd tormented her as a filly while the names they'd called her kept repeating in her head over and over.

_Scaredyshy...Flutterwimp...Punyshy...Scaredyshy...Flutterwimp...Punyshy..._

What happened next happened so fast that at first, the other ponies weren't even sure that they saw it. There was a flurry of motion, and the next thing everypony knew, Rainbow Dash was sent flying backwards through the air, before crashing hard into the trunk of a nearby tree. For a moment, everypony stood rooted to the spot in shock, unable to believe what had just happened, that Fluttershy had actually just bucked Rainbow Dash into a tree. But as the reality of the situation sank in, their shock quickly turned to horror.

"RAINBOW DASH!", the ponies cried as they rushed to the side of their fallen friend.

"Rainbow! Are you okay?!", Twilight frantically asked.

"Dashie, speak to us!", Rarity pleaded.

The barely conscious Rainbow Dash only groaned in response. She was clearly in pain, and her friends scrambled to see if there was anything broken.

As the others tended to Rainbow Dash, Twilight turned back towards Fluttershy, and opened her mouth with a full intention to berate her, to demand how she could've done such a terrible thing. But the lavender unicorn took one look at the yellow pegasus and the words promptly died on her lips. One by one, the other ponies also turned back towards Fluttershy, and they to were taken aback by the sight that met their eyes.

The look of rage, and aggression on Fluttershy's face had completely vanished, and had been replaced by a look of sheer, unadulterated horror. She looked as though she had just woken up from a dream, or rather, from a nightmare. As she stared at the fallen Rainbow Dash, the yellow pegasus' entire body trembled with shock. Slowly, she looked down at her fore-hooves, the same fore-hooves that she'd hit Rainbow Dash with, and then looked back up at the other ponies.

Fluttershy's eyes flooded with tears, and she began to hyperventilate as the full realization what she'd just done sank in. And in that moment, the other ponies knew, somehow they knew, that they were no longer looking at _nasty _Fluttershy, but _their _Fluttershy. The Fluttershy they knew, and loved had re-emerged.

"Fluttershy...", Twilight breathed, taking a step towards her.

"N-No! Stay away from me! ", the yellow pegasus cried as she began to back away from them. "It's too dangerous! I'm a monster! A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE MONSTER!"

Before anypony else could say another word, Fluttershy ran away, sobbing in shame, and Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, & Pinkie Pie could only watch helplessly as the yellow pegasus disappeared off into the distance.

* * *

Thankfully, Rainbow Dash was not badly hurt. After Fluttershy had run away, Rainbow Dash had slowly, but surely come back around, and Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, & Pinkie Pie quickly carried the blue pegasus to the Carousel Boutique, the closest of their homes. Before long, the worst of their fears were soon put to rest. The blow Rainbow Dash had taken from Fluttershy had left her dazed, and she was a little sore, but nothing was broken. By now, she was back on her hooves, and it didn't look like she'd need to see a doctor after all.

"Rainbow, are you sure you're okay?", Twilight asked in concern.

"I just got the wind knocked out of me. I'm fine.", Rainbow Dash winced, her body still aching. "I just didn't know that Fluttershy could be such a heavy hitter."

Everypony sombered as their thoughts returned to the horrible incident with the yellow pegasus.

"I didn't know that she could be such a meanie...", Pinkie Pie said as her mane began to deflate, as it did whenever she was sad.

"Oh, Pinkie. I'm sure that Fluttershy didn't mean it.", Rarity assured.

"She _didn't _mean it, because that WAS NOT Fluttershy.", Twilight said firmly, but then her voice softened as she added, "But it WAS her at the end, just before she ran off."

Applejack sadly nodded. "I can't imagine how she must be feelin' right now."

"Oh, this is our own fault.", Rarity said miserably, "We should never have pushed Fluttershy into going to Iron Will's seminar."

"All we wanted was for Fluttershy to stop being a pushover.", Rainbow Dash pointed out, "We didn't know that THIS was going to happen."

"Ironic, isn't it?" Twilight sighed. "The thing we wished for the most has now become our worst nightmare. I guess it just goes to show that you should be careful what you wish for."

For a long moment, the five ponies just stood there in silent thought, unsure of what to do. At last, Rainbow Dash spoke up again.

"You know...", she said slowly, "I think that I'm beginning to understand..."

"Understand what, darling?", Rarity asked.

"Why Fluttershy has been acting so aggressively.", the blue pegasus explained as the others looked at her inquisitively. "You see, we were both picked on when we were fillies. For a while, it felt as though it was me and Fluttershy against the world, but eventually, I realized that we never did deal with being bullied in the same way. As you can guess, I never took being bullied sitting down. I was always ready and willing to take the fight back to the bullies."

Everypony nodded, and listened intently as their friend continued her story.

"But as you know, Fluttershy was never like me. She could never defend herself, so she just took the bullying as it came, hoping that the bullies would get bored, and leave her alone. I defended her whenever I could, but I just couldn't be there for her all the time. I tried to teach her to stand up for herself, but she just never took to it."

"Not 'til now, ya mean?", Applejack said.

"Yeah.", Rainbow Dash affirmed, "Before Iron Will showed up, Fluttershy had been pushed around her whole life. And now, I think that ever since she went to Iron Will's workshop, Fluttershy has been more confident in herself than she ever has, and because of that, she's been feeling the need to not only stand up for herself, but to snap back at everypony for all the times that she's been stepped on over the years."

"Maybe... But how do you know so much about this?", Twilight asked.

"Because...", Rainbow Dash began, but her voice trailed off as a look of shame spread across her face.

"Dashie...", Rarity said, looking intently at her friend, "Did something like this happen to you to?"

Bowing her head, Rainbow Dash nodded. "Like I said, I always took the fight back to the bullies. And while I wasn't always successful in doing so, sometimes I was, and when that happened, it felt..._good_. It made me feel triumphant, like I really was somepony, and not just the victim. And soon...I started doing it more... I wanted to get that feeling again. I wanted to make them pay. To show them that I wasn't to be messed with ever again."

Rainbow Dash paused. "And before I knew it...", she continued, "I began to lash out at everypony that I could find an excuse to. In my aggressive feelings, all I could see were other ponies trying to knock me down, and all I could think about was showing them what it was like to be pushed around for a change."

"That sounds exactly like Fluttershy...", Pinkie Pie said.

"And then what happened?", Rarity asked.

Rainbow Dash paused again; this was clearly a difficult subject for her. "Then, one day... I yelled at this one pony who'd bumped into me, and said some...nasty things to them... And they ran away from me crying. It was only then that I finally looked down, and saw my own angry reflection in a puddle of water. And one look was all it took for me to finally realize that I was becoming just like those who'd bullied me, and Fluttershy."

Rainbow Dash's friends were shocked, but at the same time, sympathetic. After a brief moment of silence, Twilight asked, "So what did you do then?"

Rainbow Dash sighed. "Eventually, I healed...and was able to make amends with everypony that I hurt... But it wasn't easy..."

"And now ya think that's what's been goin' on with Fluttershy?", Applejack inquired.

"Yeah, only bigger.", Rainbow Dash confirmed, "Unlike me, Fluttershy never stood up to those who pushed her around. She's probably had a lifetime of pain bottled up inside her, and when Iron Will showed up, the cork on that bottle finally popped."

"And now all those terrible feelings that Fluttershy has been suppressing over the years have been spewing out in explosive ways.", Twilight said, "That's why she's been lashing out at everypony."

Rainbow Dash nodded again. "In hindsight, it probably wasn't the smartest thing of me to have called Fluttershy that name I called her during our fight. Those mean names that our bullies always called her really hurt her, because deep down, she always felt that they were true. It's no wonder Fluttershy...reacted the way she did."

"It was to her.", Rarity said somberly, "You should have seen the look on her face after she hurt you."

"I've never seen Fluttershy cry so hard like that.", Pinkie Pie sadly agreed, her mane almost completely deflated by now.

"Even after what's happened...", Twilight put in, "I feel so terrible for her."

"So what do we do?", Applejack asked.

There was another long moment of silence as the five ponies stood there in deep thought. At last, Rarity spoke up, her face hardening with resolve.

"We have to go see Fluttershy again.", the white unicorn said firmly. "She needs us now more than ever."

Twilight nodded in determination, "You're right. If anything can help her right now, it's knowing that her friends haven't abandoned her in spite of what's happened."

"Yeah!", Pinkie Pie joined in, her mane instantly reinflated, "We've got to save Fluttershy! We've got to save her from herself!"

"Well, what are we waiting for?", Rainbow Dash asked, "Let's go!"

"Whoa nelly...", Applejack said, holding out her hooves, "I'm right there with y'all, but...y'all saw how distraught Fluttershy was... Perhaps we oughta give her some time..."

The orange earth pony's words gave everypony pause. Applejack had a point.

Twilight nodded slowly. "Maybe you're right. We should probably let her calm down a bit before we try to talk her out."

Rainbow Dash however, was a little apprehensive. "We can't wait for too long..."

* * *

First thing next morning, the five ponies hurried to Fluttershy's cottage as fast as their hooves could carry them. But when they finally arrived, they could only gasp in shock at what they saw. Every door and window of Fluttershy's cottage had been boarded up. The trees were completely devoid of leaves, and all of her animals were gone. The only sounds to be heard were the rustling of the wind, and the howling of a wolf coming from somewhere in the distance.

"Are we too late..?", Rainbow Dash asked.

Exchanging looks of worry, the five ponies quickly rushed up to the boarded up door, praying that they hadn't made a terrible mistake by waiting to talk to Fluttershy.

"Fluttershy, are you in there?", Rarity called as she knocked on the door.

"It's us!" Twilight said.

"Go away!", Fluttershy's distraught, and shame-filled voice came from inside the house. "Go away before nasty Fluttershy strikes again!"

"Oh sweetie, we all said, and did things that we regret.", Rarity said.

"We did?", Pinkie Pie asked cluelessly, before Rarity put a hoof over her mouth.

"No, Pinkie's right. I'm the only one to blame.", Fluttershy's voice came again. Inside of her cottage, the yellow pegasus was being tied to a chair by Angel at her own request. She had sent all of her other animals away, for they were no longer safe with her. "But don't worry. I'm never leaving my house again. Everypony will be a lot safer with me, and the beast within me locked away. Just go ask Rainbow Dash, she can vouch for that."

"Fluttershy, I'm okay.", the blue pegasus reassured, "It wasn't all your fault. I should have known better than to call you...what I called you. Everything just happened so fast."

"Sweetie, Rainbow Dash doesn't blame you, nor do we.", Rarity said, "You just received some bad advice from that Iron Will character."

"Yeah! He's the one who made you super-duper-nasty!" Pinkie agreed rather tactlessly, earning her a jab from Applejack, and stern looks from the others.

"What Pinkie Pie means...", Applejack clarified, "...is that there are other ways to assert yer'self besides yellin' at everypony."

"Or knocking the hay out of everypony...", Rainbow Dash added under her breath.

"Yes!" Rarity nodded, "You can stand up for yourself without being unpleasant about it!"

Though touched by her friends' words, Fluttershy still wasn't convinced. "I-I'm not sure I can.", she said sadly, "I'm too far gone. Whenever I try to assert myself, I become a monster." As she spoke, Fluttershy looked at herself in the mirror, and cringed as there was a flash of lightning, and she saw Iron Will's horns atop her head. The sight was terrifying to her.

Twilight couldn't bear hearing Fluttershy talk like this. "Fluttershy, you're our friend.", she assured, "You're NOT a monster."

"No, but he is.", Pinkie Pie said, pointing off into the distance, and there on Fluttershy's bridge, was Iron Will standing on the back of one of his goats.

Alarmed by the minotaur's arrival, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and Applejack quickly headed down to the bridge to block his path, while Rainbow Dash stayed behind to guard Fluttershy's front door. As the four ponies approached him, the minotaur promptly stepped down from the back of his goat to greet them.

"Iron Will's my name, training ponies is my game!", he announced with a thumbs up, though he seemed to be talking to no one in particular.

"Uhhh, we kinda already knew that.", Applejack pointed out.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "I think he just likes to hear himself talk."

"Well, it _is _a darling little catchphrase.", Rarity acquiesced.

"Fluttershy _loved _Iron Will's catchphrases.", Iron Will said, flexing his muscles, before wrapping one of his arms around Rarity, & Pinkie Pie, and his other arm around Twilight, & Applejack, making the four ponies rather uncomfortable. "And guess what? Word on the street is that nopony dares to give her any gruff anymore. Iron Will's lessons have paid off in spite of what you doubters thought, and so, Iron Will is here to collect his fee."

Letting go of the four ponies, the minotaur began to make his way towards Fluttershy's cottage.

"Fluttershy's in no shape to deal with _that _creep.", Pinkie Pie told her friends.

Nodding, Rarity quickly ran after Iron Will; she had an idea. "I'm sure a big, brave, powerful, and rich monster– I mean, minotaur like you doesn't need that money right away. You can afford to come back later. "

"Are you kidding?", Iron Will asked, stopping in his tracks, "Fluttershy's overdue as it is. Iron Will collects _now_."

Before Rarity could say another word, Iron Will picked the white unicorn up by the horn, and then dumped her into a bush down below Fluttershy's fence.

"Hey! That ain't no way ta treat a lady!", Applejack growled as she charged toward Iron Will.

Unfortunately for the orange earth pony, the minotaur was one step ahead, for Iron Will simply took one single step to the side, and Applejack flew right past him to go tumbling over the side of fence and down into the bush as well.

"Well, that was easy.", Iron Will grinned before continuing on towards Fluttershy's door.

Twilight, and Pinkie Pie rushed over to the fence to see if their friends were okay. Down below, Rarity poked her head out of the bush, as a dazed Applejack lay next to her.

"_Do something_!" Rarity implored her friends.

Turning back towards Fluttershy's cottage, Twilight, and Pinkie were alarmed to see Iron Will standing before the front door, with Rainbow Dash baring his way. While the blue pegasus was tough, she was still sore from the blow she'd taken from Fluttershy, and her friends feared that she was in no shape to take on Iron Will. But even so, Rainbow Dash stood her ground.

"If I were you, I'd get out of Iron Will's way!", the minotaur snapped.

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes. "If I were _you_, I'd leave my friend alone!"

Iron Will growled, but before he could make a move against Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie quickly jumped between them.

"We're not even sure Fluttershy is home right now.", the pink earth pony insisted, "Uh, she might, be off frolicking with some woodland creatures so, uh, why don't you give us some time to track her down for ya?"

At this, Iron Will paused. "Iron Will does have some grocery shopping to do...", he said, pulling out a shopping list, and a small white basket, before starting to walk back down the path. "Iron Will will come back this evening."

"But that only half a day.", Pinkie protested, "We need one full day at _least_."

Iron Will turned to glare at Pinkie. "Iron Will will delay for half a day and no longer!"

"A full day!", Pinkie insisted, using the same method she'd used against Roma at the tomato stand.

"Half day!", the minotaur asserted.

"_Full day_!" Pinkie demanded.

"_Half day_!", Iron Will shouted, striking a dynamic pose.

"_Half day_!", Pinkie yelled, going for the switcheroo, and striking the same pose.

"_Full day_!", Iron Will retorted, getting down in Pinkie's face.

"_We need half a day, and no more_!", Pinkie shrieked, stretching her neck like a giraffe to get up in Iron Will's face, before her body shot into the air as her neck unstretched itself.

"_Well, you'll get a full day, and no less_!", the minotaur bellowed, grabbing Pinkie by the tail to hold her up off the ground.

"Okie-Dokie, see you tomorrow.", Pinkie smiled as she tried to walk away in mid-air.

"Wait, what?", Iron Will blinked, still holding on to Pinkie's tail as it finally dawned on him that he'd been tricked.

Unfortunately for the ponies, the sound of a sneeze came from inside the cottage, and they all cringed as they realized that the jig was up.

"_Huh_, sounds like a search won't be necessary.", the minotaur said, putting Pinkie Pie down, before walking back towards the door." Iron Will collects _now_."

"But we had an agreement!", Pinkie protested, blocking his path, "You gotta come back tomorrow!"

"That's right!", Twilight said, jumping in beside Pinkie Pie, "We had an agreement! You have to honor an agreement!"

But Iron Will would not be deterred. "'When somepony tries to block, show them that you rock!'", he snarled as he picked up the two ponies with ease, and they screamed as he threw them both into a nearby mud puddle with a loud splash.

Rainbow Dash, now the only pony standing between Iron Will and Fluttershy, once again felt her blood boiling. She'd had enough of this creep.

"That's it!", the blue pegasus snarled, pawing her hoof against the ground. "You mess with my friends, you deal with ME!"

Rainbow Dash charged headlong into Iron Will, fully intending to bowl him over, or at least push him away from Fluttershy's door. However, the minotaur hardly budged, and seemed more annoyed than anything as he simply grabbed a hold of Rainbow Dash, and tossed her aside. Landing on the ground, the blue pegasus groaned as the impact caused the pain from Fluttershy's earlier blow to flare up again, taking the fight out of her, and she could only watch as Iron Will tore all of the wooden boards off of Fluttershy's door.

"Your payment is overdue, Fluttershy!", Iron Will shouted aggressively, drawing a mighty fist back as he prepared to smash down the door, and then...

...politely knocked on it instead.

A moment later, the door opened, and Fluttershy's friends all watched fearfully as the yellow pegasus stepped out.

"You were nothing but a doormat, and Iron Will turned you into a lean, mean, assertive machine!", Iron Will declared, striking various muscular poses to emphasize his point, "Now, pay Iron Will what you owe Iron Will!"

Fluttershy, however, just looked the minotaur in the eye, and calmly said, "Um, no."

Fluttershy's friends stared in utter disbelief, with Pinkie Pie even falling over from the shock. Even Iron Will's goats couldn't believe it, with both letting surprised bleats.

"_What did you say_?", Iron Will demanded.

"No.", Fluttershy said again, seemingly unafraid.

"Ohhh, I'd hate to be you right now...", Iron Will roared as he angrily bent the wood of Fluttershy's fence like wrestling ring ropes, "...because Iron Will _is gonna to rain down a world of hurt unless Iron Will gets his money __**pronto**_!"

The minotaur snorted in Fluttershy's face, blowing her mane back, but she remained uncowed, and proceeded to walk around him.

"As I recall...", Fluttershy said, "During your workshop, you promised one hundred percent satisfaction guaranteed, or you pay nothing. Well, I'm not satisfied."

"What do you mean you're not satisfied?!", Iron Will snapped, "_Everypony has always been satisfied_!"

"Well, then I guess I'm the first then.", Fluttershy retorted, "But since I'm not satisfied, I refuse to pay. It's as simple as that."

Fluttershy's friends continued to stare in shock. By now, Pinkie Pie's jaw had dropped so low that it seemed ready to hit the ground, prompting Rarity to close the pink pony's mouth with her hoof.

Taken aback, Iron Will entered a football-like huddle with his goats to confer with them. After a few moments, the minotaur turned back to Fluttershy, now looking somewhat nervous.

"Ohh, are you... sure you're not just a little bit satisfied?", Iron Will asked awkwardly, "B-because maybe... we could cut a deal. I-I mean we're both reasonable creatures, aren't we?"

"I'm sorry, but no means no.", Fluttershy asserted.

"No means no, huh?", Iron Will repeated thoughtfully, as he defeatedly climbed onto the back of one of the black goat, "Nopony's ever said that to me before. Huh... I gotta remember that one. That's a good catchphrase for my next workshop."

Iron Will's goats bleated in agreement, as the white goat handed the minotaur his shopping basket, before the three of them began to make their way down the path away from Fluttershy's cottage.

Once Iron Will had gone, Fluttershy's friends rushed up to her.

"That was AWESOME!", Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"You were amazing, Fluttershy!", Pinkie Pie squealed, "You totally stood up to that monster!"

"In fact, you didn't change at all!", Rarity beamed, "You were the same old Fluttershy that we've always loved!"

"The one we missed!", Twilight nodded.

"Th' one that is super special ta us!", Applejack added.

Fluttershy smiled. "Don't worry, old Fluttershy's back for good.", but then her voice saddened as she said, "I'm sorry that I took the assertiveness thing too far. I... I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay, Fluttershy.", Twilight assured.

"Everypony makes mistakes.", Applejack smiled warmly.

Then, Fluttershy slowly turned toward Rainbow Dash, barely able to meet her gaze after what she'd done. "Rainbow Dash, I... I'm sorry, I never meant..."

But Rainbow Dash just grinned. "Don't worry about it. I've taken worse hits than that. Can't think of any right now, but..."

Fluttershy smiled as the others giggled. "So... Friends?", the yellow pegasus asked hopefully.

Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, & Pinkie all smiled as tears of joy welled in their eyes. "Friends.", they all answered at once, as the six ponies joined together in a group hug.

* * *

With the help of her friends, Fluttershy had all of the wooden boards removed from her home, and before long, all of her animals returned. Restored to it's former happy glory, life at Fluttershy's cottage resumed as usual.

Soon, it was feeding time again, and this time, Fluttershy decided to use multiple feeding bowls to prevent any competition for food between the animals. It appeared to work, as the animals all began to happily eat from their own bowls without pushing into one another like they often did.

Smiling, Fluttershy began to write a letter to Princess Celestia.

_Dear Princess Celestia, _

_Sometimes it can be hard for a shy pony like me to stand up for myself, and when I first tried it, I didn't like the pony I became. But I've learned that standing up for yourself isn't the same as changing who you are. Everypony has the right to stand up for themselves, especially if they've been mistreated by others, but at the same time, you must take care that you do not become just like those who mistreated you, or you may end up doing something that you'll regret. Thankfully, now I know how to put my hoof down without being unpleasant or mean._

Fluttershy rolled the letter into a scroll, and set it aside to be taken to Twilight by one of the birds once feeding time was over. Turning her attention back to the animals, the yellow pegasus smiled as she watched them eat.

Suddenly, she heard that familiar thumping sound, and turned to see Angel, who was once again not happy with his salad. Assuming that his owner was back to her old pushover self, Angel fully intended to take advantage of it, and crossing his arms, he pushed the salad she'd given him away. But to his frustration, Fluttershy only glared at him, and it became obvious that she wasn't going to change his meal this time.

Angel began to throw a tantrum, jumping up in the air, and pounding his feet on the ground, thinking that being more aggressive would get her to cave. But then, an uncowed Fluttershy used "The Stare" on her pet bunny. Angel froze fearfully, and he suddenly realized that, no, Fluttershy was not _completely _back to her old pushover self. And after what had happend the last time, he was not about to test that again.

Reluctantly, Angel picked up a piece of cucumber, and looked away as he slowly tried a nibble of it, sure it was going to make him sick. But instead, he was pleasantly surprised to find that it actually tasted great, and he smiled as he proceeded to practically devour the rest of the salad as a pleased Fluttershy looked on.

* * *

END


End file.
